Read Online Warrior from the Shadowland by Cassandra Gannon - Free Book Online Page A

“That’s not part
of the Shadows’ powers.  It wasn’t me.”
    “It
was you, Cross.  Trust me.”  Nia jumped down off the desk so she could cover
the space that separated them, now.  The distance that he’d created when he
backed away from her.
    He
retreated, again.  “Nia, stop.  You don’t want to come any nearer to me right
now.”  He was still too close to the edge.  Too close to just ignoring what
little conscience he had left.
    She
grinned at that.  “Funny.  It seems like I want to.”  She took another
step forward.
    “Are
you really this reckless?”  He demanded.  “Shit, has it escaped your notice
that I nearly killed you?”
    “Oh,
you did not.”  She waved a dismissive hand.  “It was a blip…”
    “Blip?!?” 
He roared, interrupting her.  “Nia, I’m wrong .  Can’t you see that?  I
could be taking you on that desk, right now.  How could you have stopped me if
the Shadows took over and…”  Cross trailed off and ran a hand through his
hair.  The silver streak at his temple slid between his thumb and forefinger. 
“I could’ve killed you.”  He finished, harshly.  “And I did scare you. 
So just. stay. fucking. back .”  It was a harsh command.
    Nia
ignored him and edged a bit closer, Cross had the bizarre feeling that she was
moving slowly so she wouldn’t spook him.  “You scared me.”  She agreed.  “Or,
at least, you startled me, anyhow.  So, I stopped you.  And it wasn’t hard to
do.  When I said ‘stop,’ you stopped.  There was no danger, Cross.  Not from
you or the Shadows.  There’s certainly nothing wrong with you because of
it.  I’m sorry, I…”
    “Don’t
you dare apologize to me.”  He snarled.  “Not for one damn thing.”
    Nia
hesitated.  “You asked me to forgive you.”  She told him.  “Remember?”
    “I
did?”  Cross recalled saying a lot of panicky things when she looked so small
and afraid, but he wasn’t real clear on the specifics.  “Well, I was wrong. 
You shouldn’t do anything that stupid.  I’m dangerous.  Never forgive or forget anything , especially not from dangerous people.”
    “Too
late.”  Nia shrugged.  “I don’t think there’s really a lot to forgive, since it
was just an accidental blip, but I forgive you.  So, I think you need to just
stop overreacting and get over it.”
    Cross
snorted.  That didn’t even deserve a response so he didn’t give it one.
    Nia
sighed at his stubborn silence.  “Alright, just tell me something, then.  How
long have you known?”  She had the bluest eyes in the universe and they pinned
him like the insect that he was.
    “Known
what?”  Cross could feel his body wanting to be next to hers, that turquoise
gaze pulling him like a damn Magnet Phase.  He forced himself to stay still,
keeping his distance from her.
    “How
long have you known that we were a Match?”  She said, simply.  “I can feel it,
now.  I felt it when our powers slammed together like that.  I’m not an idiot. 
I know what that means.  So, how long have you known about me?”
    Cross
felt a wash of shame.  For a second, he almost denied that he was her Match. 
Almost set her free, rather than say anything that would tie her to him. 
Matches could be renounced.  It was rare, but it could be done.  Ty had done
it.  Cross could go to Job and …
    His
thoughts trailed off.  Cross had a brief flash of trying to exist without the
peace that Nia provided for him.  With just him and Shadows and pain, all alone
forever.  No.  He wouldn’t give her up.  Not for anything in the universe.
    Selfish
bastard .
    He
actually heard his stepfather’s voice screaming it at him, but Cross still
couldn’t do it.
    Without
Nia to give him hope, he’d let the Shadows drop.  Cross refused to do that
because it would destroy Nia along with everything else.  Or, at least, that
was a handy excuse for keeping a gift that shouldn’t have been his in the first
place.